Secrets of the Wilderwest (Httyd fic)

Chapter 31

Astrid's POV

All of us flinched at the deep voice. The dragons started growling while Snotlout let out a girlish scream and jumped onto Fishlegs.

"Snotlout, what the hell?!" Fishlegs grunted as he tried to stay upright.

"Let's get out of here!!" Snotlout shouted frightened. "This place is probably haunted!!"

"Yes, listen to the squealing one." The voice said this time.

We were all glancing around looking for the source of the voice. The dragons were also getting agitated, but then Hiccup started to laugh.

"Son, what are you laughing about?" Stoick asked.

"Don't you see guys." Hiccup said after he stopped laughing. "This is another guardian like Furious."

"You've met Furious?!" The voice asked startled. "And you survived?" Then a small gray scaled dragon no larger than a Terrible Terror emerged from behind one of the dragon sculptures.

All of us stared at the little dragon who proceeded to sit regally on his haunches in front of us. "I am Wodensfang. Protector of this place. State your names and your business. If Furious let you live then I shall hear you out."

Hiccup proceeded to introduce us all to the little dragon who was now watching curiously. Wodensfang let out a sigh after Hiccup explained about Drago, the items, and that Furious told us to come here to find out about the Dragontime.

"So the meaning of the Dragontime has been corrupted." Wodensfang stated sadly.

"So the dragons enslaving humans is not what the Dragontime stands for." I state to which Wodensfang nods.

"No it isn't." Wodenfang stated while pointing to the murals etched in the stone walls. "These depict the history of the first King of the Wilderwest and the rise of the first Dragontime."

We all looked at the murals while Wodensfang began his story. "A thousand years ago a bloody war raged between the humans and dragons. They killed each other mercilessly. The start of the war began with the exile of a witch who hated both species. She swore vengeance on the humans and pitted them against the dragons. All she had to do afterwards was sit back and watch the two species she despised destroy each other."

Wodensfang pointed to the next set of murals. "That was until a young boy found a Night Fury egg and hatched it. He and the Night Fury shared a close bond and they showed everyone that both species could coexist. The witch was enraged by the resulting peace and started to plot. She revealed herself on the day that the humans and dragons crowned the boy the first King of the Wilderwest with a concoction that could turn both humans and dragons into mindless slaves. The King defeated her with Endeavor before she could release it, saving the humans and dragons once again."

"With the rule of the first King, both humans and dragons bonded and worked together for the betterment of both species. That was the first Dragontime." Wodensfang finished while looking proudly at the black marble grave.

"You sound as if you lived history." Fishlegs said while looking at the small dragon.

"That I did young human. That I did. Even a thousand years later I still guard my most trusted friend, brother, and King." Wodensfang said.

"Wait." Hiccup said looking at the dragon wide-eyed. "Then that would mean that you were the Night Fury in the story."

"That is correct." Wodensfang stated causing all of us to gape at him.

"But you're so small!!" The twins said in sync.

Wodensfang huffed. "Do you expect a dragon to stay the same size. We age just as you humans do."

He then jumped on Hiccup's shoulder while saying "I am getting on in my age, so I'll give you the items you wanted. My fire died a century ago and I feel that I can thrust you lot well enough."

Wodensfang pointed to one of the sculpture pedestals. "Use the key. The items you'll want are in there."

I watched Hiccup use the key. A hidden compartment opened and Hiccup pulled out a gleaming iron box.

"Gronckle iron can withstand time." Wodensfang stated as Hiccup opened the box. Inside was a circlet with an amber gem embedded in the center. "The crown of the last King and the Dragon jewel." Wodensfang said from Hiccup's shoulder.

"Do you want to come back with us to the surface Wodensfang?" I hear Hiccup ask the small dragon.

"Thank you, but I want to ensure this place's safety. I had been hearing many voices in these caverns lately." Wodensfang stated causing all of us to look at him in surprise.

"That is impossible. These caverns have been sealed for centuries." Stoick replied.

"There is one other entrance than the one you came from." Wodensfang said. "Come I'll show you."

Wodensfang then guided us out of the crypt and along a winding path in the opposite direction from which we came. I could hear water crashing and the smell of the sea air hit me. We could also hear voices in the distance. Ducking down behind a large boulder we surveyed the people gathered on a small beach where the cave opened up to the sea.

I could see them hauling a cage with a weird dragon in it to the cave. "Dragon smugglers" I say.

"So this is their smuggling route." Stoick whispers. "Security has been looking into this for a while now."

"Be careful with that Triple Stryke!! It cost me a fortune!" a booming voice fills the cave.

The voice belonged to a very burly man with a big black beard. Soren shrank back upon seeing him.

"Soren" Both Hiccup and I whisper concerned.

"That's Alvin the Treacherous." Soren stated. "He's the leader of the Outcast gang and the one who killed my mother."